Folding vehicle



N. s'r'RAussLER FOLDING VEHICLE 2 Sheets-Sheet L Filed March 28, 1929 IKM' Dec, 1o,- 1929.

N. STRAUSSLER FOLDING VEHICLE Filed March 28, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 10, 1929 nrononss FGLDNG VEHICLE OF LNDON, ENGLAND Application filed .Trier-cli 1329, Serial No. .fi-50,5%, and in Great Britain February 13, 1928.

This invention relates to folding vehicles and is applicable to boats, perambulators, cycle side-cars, and similar vehicles, ot the kind in which the llc-or the vehicle has one end curving inwardly at both sides towards the centre line or maj or axis and the' other end truncated or squared, that is, termed at right angles to the said major axis, the side walls o the vehicle being continuously joined to the floor and followl its contour, so that they can both be lain flat on the iioor, while the sternor rear wall is similarly jointed at its lower edge to the floor. l

According to this invention t e edges of the side walls extend to the square end ot the floor panel, and their top enges v end seine distance awayrom the top corners ot the rear wall, stern or bach-board, the

gaps being triangular in shape, and triangular oint-ing pieces which may be ot the saine material as the floor and walls, entend between the sides of the undivided rear wall and the inclined portions ot the Aside walls,

so that when erected they constitute portions of the side walls. rlhe back-board can thus be conveniently laid down over the rear ends otx the two side walls and over the triangular jointing pieces.

The vehicle may be constructed of material which possesses sulicient Hexibility to enable the side walls to he bent at the front portion and the Hoor to rise in a curve corresponding with the curvature thus imposed on the side walls. This material may be plywood, with or without a coating ot thin galvanized metal applied internally or externally, or both. rllhe walls may be ed to the iioor by webbing treated with waterproof glue, or by other suitable material.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into eti'ect, the same will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings exempliifying the application of the invention to boats.

Figure l is a side elevation and Figure 2 is a plan et a boat opened out for use.

Figure 3 is a plan of the saine boat collapsed.

ligure Il: is a plan illustrating a modification.

- Figure 5 is a longitudinal section on a large scale taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a cross section taken on the line G-t ot Figure 3. s

.fr indicates the flat bottom of the boat, B, C the side walls, D the stern connected witii the side walls by triangular jointing pieces E, ll. G indicates a grating which can .be placed across he boat bottom, H a hinge to which arear seat (not shown), may be attached, J a hinge tor the attachment of a trent seat (not shown), l an eye through which any suitable hook may be passed to iaeilitate the lifting of the front end of the boat bottom in opening out the boat; lil and h indicate il shaped clips tor securing the ends or a pair orn sculls which may be laid longitudinally of the boat when it is folded tor storage or transport. "W indicates Jthe webbing which forms the joints between the relatively movable parts.

The rear wall or stern l) is preferably narrower at its tree upper edge than at its lower or jointed edge; when erected it may be vertical, or may be set to lean back. The lower or bottom `edges of the side walls B, C entend to the square end ot the iloor panel A, whereas the top edges end some distance away from the top corner ot the rear wall D, the gaps being triangular in shape. rlhe triangular jointing pieces E, F which may be of the same material as the floor and walls, e.v end between the sides ot the rear wall on the one hand and inclined portions of the side walls on the other hand, so that when erected they continue the lines of the tops of the side walls to their junction with the upper corners or other parts of the rear-walls, or may as illustrated in figure l be slightly inclined downwards towards the stern.

ln order to avoid the presence of a sharp point at the front of the vehicle, the gunwale or elbow rest in the case of a boat tor eX- ample may be slightly inclined downwards towards the trent, so that the side walls while rising to the full height ot the back wall leave a gap when laid down, as seen in Figure 4, and the floor may be rounded 0r truncated at this part. t

A Vehicle body thus Constructed can readily be collapsed into a flat condition for storage or transit, and can readily be opened out when required for use.

Vhat I claim and desire to secure-by Letters Patent of the United States is ln a folding vehicle, a floor having one end Curved inwardly at both sides towards the major axial line of said ioor, the `other end ot said floor being straight and at right angles to the said inajor axial line, side walls continuously jointed to the sides of the said fioorand following its contour throughout its length, said side Walls being shorter at f' their u1 perxedges than at their lower edges and being adapted to be turned down over the floor and laid'liat thereon with their norinaliy `upper edges towards the major axial lineoic the'floor, an undivided rear wall continuously jointed at its lower edge to the straight end of the -floor and adapted to be turned vdown over the outsides of the side w'valls when lthe 'latter are folded, and two triangular portions each-jointed at one side to vone side of' 'the rear wall, said portions being veach jointed-at their forwardly inclined side to an Yinclined edge of one of the side walls, whereby in collapsingthe vehicle said triangular 'portions are caused to lie between the rear wall" and the side Walls.

NICHOLAS vSTRAUSSLER. 

